Bedford Driving Lessons

Specialist insurers that promise cheap deals for women often charge over the odds for cover. Exclusive research undertaken for The Independent on Sunday by Confused.com reveals that self-proclaimed female-friendly firms can charge hundreds of pounds more than mainstream insurers. The comparison site looked at car insurance premiums for women of differing levels of age and experience. The results show that specialist providers seldom offer the best deals. Confused’s figures show that a 40-year-old woman in Cardiff, driving a Ford Fiesta Style, with five years’ no claims bonus (NCB) and a £250 voluntary excess would pay £575.60 with Diamond – more than £300 higher than Esure’s premium of £273.48. Other bespoke providers were even more expensive, with a policy from Diva costing £586.40, Women on Wheels costing £633.26 and Ladybird costing £682.05 – £400 more than the best deal. “Statistically, women drivers are the safest on UK road, and it is no surprise that some providers have created specific brands and bespoke policy offerings with the intention of attracting this market,” says Will Thomas, head of motor insurance at Confused.com. Home Office figures show that over the past five years, male drivers in the UK have accounted for 94 per cent of all car accidents involving death or bodily harm, 97 per cent of all dangerous driving convictions and 83 per cent of all speeding convictions. This is despite the fact that the driving population is currently split 55 per cent men and 45 per cent women. With this in mind, insurance dedicated to female drivers makes complete sense – they focus their attention on safer drivers and pledge to reward them with smaller premiums.’ More